The present invention refers to a manual imprinter designed for transferring the image of a relief formation onto a writing surface, to maintain a register of that formation. More particularly, it refers to a device capable of registering on paper, for example, an invoice or a shipping document, the number of a security seal identified by a number or code formed in relief on a surface of the seal.
Security seals are often individualized by numbers of their own, in order to prevent their unauthorized replacement with another similar seal. For security, the numbering should be created in high relief at the time of manufacturing the seal, since this will effectively prevent unauthorized people from applying the specific number in high relief to another similar seal. Evidently the use of a numbered seal can only be of help if the number is registered in such a way that the identity between the numbers can be checked at a later time, for example, when receiving a bag containing valuables or the like. Thus, the person responsible for sending a sealed bag, for example, needs to write down the number of the seal on an invoice or shipping document. This is not only laboursome, but also leads to mistakes.
The general object of the present invention is to provide a simple device that will enable one to transfer the image of a relief formation to a writing surface. More specifically, the device enables one to transfer the number in relief formed on a security seal to paper.
According to the present invention a manual imprinter for transferring the image of a relief formation onto a writing surface, comprises:
an elongated base support arm having a first end and a second end;
a substantially planar surface region adjacent said first end of said support arm;
a cavity formed in said planar surface region and adapted to receive an element having a relief formation, said relief formation projecting from said planar surface region when said element is received in the cavity,
an elongated imprinter arm having a first end and a second end, said imprinting arm being of substantially the same length as said support arm and being hinged at its second end to said second end of said support arm so as to be able to be hinged from an open position in which said first ends are remote from each other to a second imprinting position in which to said first ends are proximate to one another;
elastic buffer means on one said arms and positioned to be facing the other of said arms adjacent the first ends thereof, whereby in said imprinting position said buffer means prevent contact between said arms when manually squeezed against each other; and
an imprinter means supported on said imprinter arm and arranged for linear longitudinal alternate sliding movement therealong; and
a manual actuator associated with said imprinting means to permit a user to use his thumb to cause said alternate sliding movement of said imprinter means;
said imprinter means including a material writing-material transfer element in the form of a block of said writing material, capable of transferring, under pressure, said writing material to a writing surface positioned between said arms in the imprinting position.
In order to facilitate the use of the device and to ensure a good print of the seal number on the surface of a sheet of paper inserted between the two arms, there is a locking device for releasably locking the imprinter member in the imprinting position.